Plug and socket contactor



June 15, 1965 J. G. HATFIELD 3,189,868

PLUG AND SOCKET CONTACTOR Filed Oct. 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.JOHN G. HHT F\ ELD June 15, 1965. J. a. HATFIELD PLUG AND SOCKETCONTACTOR Filed Oct. 25, 1 962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A mm mm VAH m 6 N w JUnited States Patent 3,189,868 PLUG AND SOCKET CONTACTUR John G.Hatfield, Camp Hill, Pa., assignor to AMI Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.Filed Oct. 23,1962, Ser. No. 232,424 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-252) In the useof electrical accounting machines, computers, etc., plugb'oardassemblies are frequently used to provide circuit connections. Suchassemblies have the advantage that one plugboard may be fixed and theother movable to close the circuit. In such plugboards, it is possibleto prewire the desired circuits by use of patchcords. An example of suchan assembly is illustrated in the patent to S-itz, Patent No. 2,975,395.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plug contactor designedto be inserted in a plugboard of the type illustrated in theabove-identified patent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a devicewhereby the contact spring is locked into the plugboard so that thespring emanates from one side thereof. This forms a socket for a pinwhich is easily inserted into the opposite side of the plugboard andsecured to an electrical conductor.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pin and socketconnection to a contact spring, wherein the pin and socket are generallycircular in cross-section, and the pin telescopes into the socket andlocks therein to provide low-contact resistance.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is notintended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given forpurposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art mayfully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the mannerof applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in variousforms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a series of pin and socket assemblieswith the sockets secured to a plugboard (partially cut away);

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken through plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an insertion tool adapted to insert the pin into the socket;

FIGURE 5 is a retracting tool adapted to remove the pin from the socket;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a pin being insertedinto the socket;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 illustrating a pin beingretracted from the socket; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective, exploded view of the device of FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a plugboard 10, made of any suitable insulatingplastic, has a plurality of apertures 12 extending therethrough adaptedto receive a socket member, generally designated 14. The socket memberis comprised of a tubular portion 16 which fits into the aperture 12having an internal flat portion 13. A spring portion 18 is adapted toengage a plug (not shown), as illustrated and described in theabove-identified patent.

The socket 14 may be stamped out of sheet metal and rolled into a formsimulating a major arc with a chord subtending it, as seen incross-section in FIGURE 3.

"ice

The portion of the socket formed by chord 15 forms a slot 17 between thechord 15 and the remainder of the tubular portion 16. The socket alsohas a seam 29 longitudinally disposed thereon, which provides resiliencyso that the socket may be flexed radially. A plurality of ears 22 extendlaterally from the front edge as shown in FIGURE 1. These ears may bestaked onto one side of the plugboard 10 to lock the contact member inplace. The socket is precluded against moving in the opposite directionby ferrule-forming portion 24 which may be integral therewith.

The pin member, generally indicated at 26, is also tubular and may bestamped out of sheet metal and rolled up to form an open seam 27. Thepin member is also resilient to permit radial fiexure. A firstferruleforming portion 28 is adapted to be crimped onto an electricalconductor, and a second ferrule-forming portion 30 is adapted to becrimped onto the insulation of the conductor in a manner which iswell-known in the art. The contact portion 32 of the pin 26 is generallytubular and similar in cross-section to the socket 16. One side of thepin is flattened as at 34, and has a tab 36 struck out of the flattenedportion and extending outwardly. A dimple 38 is formed at the front edgeof the flattened portion. The pin contracts slightly when it istelescopically inserted in the socket. It then expands outwardly toprovide tight engagement and good electrical contact. A pair ofoutwardly-extending ears 42 project from the other edge of the pin tolock it in the socket.

When it is desired to make an electrical connection between a conductorC and a spring 18, the socket member 14 is inserted into the plugbo-ard10 so that the chord 15 mates with the fiat portion 13 in the aperture.The spring 18 projects from the board and the cars 22 are staked to theboard. The ferrule-forming portions 23 and 38 are crimped to theconductor C and the pin 26 is inserted into the barrel of the contactportion 16, with the flat portion 34 of the pin engaging the portion ofthe socket. When the pin is being driven into the socket, the lance 36is retracted as it slides into the socket (FIGURE 2). After it passesthe flattened portion of the socket, it again springs outwardly so thatthe pin 26 is locked against retraction. Any attempt to withdraw the pinwill cause the lance 36 to enter a slot 17 between the arcuate portionand the flattened portion of the socket and thereby lock the pin .to thesocket. Also the pin 26 expands in the socket, thus retaining the pinand socket securely within the aperture.

A tool for inserting the pin into the socket is shown in FIGURE 4. Itcomprises a handle member 160 with an arcuate nose 102 with a thin blade1% projecting therefrom. A right-angle tip 1&6 is disposed on the end ofthe blade 104. A groove 168 in the handle 1% permits the conductor to bedisposed therein during the assembling operation. In assembled position(FIGURE 6), the rightangle tip 106 is inserted into the rear-end of thepin and the handle used to drive the pin into the socket.

A retracting device, as shown in FIGURE 5, includes a body member havinga nose portion 121 projecting therefrom. The body member 120 also has ablade 122 slidably positioned therein. The blade 122 is secured to a rodhaving a button 124 on the end of it. Spring means 126 between thebutton and the body member causes the blade 122 to be spring-loaded intoa position whereby it fits into the body member 120. When it is de siredto release the pin member (FIGURE 7) the nose 121 is fitted into thesocket 16 to force the lance 36 inwardly, thus releasing it. Depressingthe spring 126 causes the blade 122 to move deeper into the socketagainst the pin member so that continual pressure causes the pin to beretracted from the socket.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in greases the artand various apparently different modifications and embodiments may bemade Without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter setforth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offeredby Way of illustration only.

I claim:

11. A device of the character described including: a socket memberadapted to be secured to an aperture in a plugboard, said socket beingcircular throughout a portion of its length, and non-circular throughoutthe remaining portion of its length, said non-circular portion having aminor axis which is less than the diameter of the circular portion andan aperture in the socket sepa-,

rating the circular and the non-circular portions, and a pin memberadapted to fit into said socket, said pin member having an arcuatecross-sectional configuration adapted to fit into said socket and matchthe circular por: tion of said socket to provide good electricalconductivity, and locking means on said pin adapted to engage thenoncircular portion of the socket to lock the pin member in the socketbut permit unlocking to disengage the pin from the socket, and the pinmember and socket each having an open seam longitudinally disposedtherein to permit radial rlexure.

2. A device of the character described including: a socket memberadapted to be secured to an aperture in a plugboard, said socket havinga circular portion and a non-circular portion, said non circular portionhaving a minor axis which is less than the diameter of the circularportion, and an aperture in the socket separating the circular and thenon-circular portions, and a pin member adapted to fit into said socket,said pin member having an arcuate cross-sectional configuration adaptedto fit into said socket and match the circular portion of said socket toprovide good electrical conductivity, and locking means on said pinmember adapted to engage the non-circular portion of the socket to lockthe pin member in the socket but capable of being unlocked to disengagethe pin member from the socket, said locking means comprising aresilient lance projecting from the outer surface of the pin member,said lance adapted to be'depressed during the insertion of the pinmember into the socket.

3. In a pin and socket connector adapted to be secured into an openingin a plugboard, the combination comprising a terruledike member havingean open seam, a portion of said ferrule having a cross-sectionalconfiguration shaped to match the opening in the plugboard in which saidmember is intended to be secured, another portion of said ferrule havinga cross-sectional configuration which simulates an arc subtended by itschord, and a slot between the chord and the adjacent portion of theferrule, a pin shaped member having an open seam adapted totelescopically fit into the ferrule like member, means on saidpin-shaped member for securing it to a conductor, and locking means onsaid pin-shaped member normally projecting beyond the periphery of thepin-shaped memier but adapted to be radially retracted when thepinshaped member is telescoped into the ferrule-like member, and adaptedto' engage-the slot in the ferrule-like member to lock the pin-shapedmember to the ferrule-like member.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED, STATES PATENTS 921,846 5/09Kerley 24230 2,188,530 1/40 Del Camp 330-258 2,318,648 5/43 Penfold339-205 2,427,182 9/47 Bergan 339-258 X 2,691,771 10/54 Burtt et a1.339-2173 2,715,215 8/55 Flora 339-258 X 2,724,311 11/55 Poupitch 339-4982,912,669 11/59 Fitz Gerald 339-253 X 2,942,230 6/60 Gluck 339-253 X2,975,395 3/61 Sitz 339252 3,066,275 11/ 62 Hammell 339 -258 X FOREIGNPATENTS 758,099 10/33 France.

1,128,085 8/56 France,

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED INCLUDING: A SOCKET MEMBERADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO AN APERTURE IN A PLUGBOARD, SAID SOCKET BEINGCIRCULAR THROUGHOUT A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH, AND NON-CIRCULAR THROUGHOUTTHE REMAINING PORTION OF ITS LENGTH, SAID NON-CIRCULAR PORTION HAVING AMINOR AXIS WHICH IS LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE CIRCULAR PORTION ANDAN APERTURE IN THE SOCKET SEPARATING THE CIRCULAR AND THE NON-CIRCULARPORTIONS, AND A PIN MEMBER ADAPTED TO FIT INTO SAID SOCKET, SAID PINMEMBER HAVING AN ARCUATE CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO FITINTO SAID SOCKET AND MATCH THE CIRCULAR PORTION OF SAID SOCKET TOPROVIDE GOOD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, AND LOCKING MEANS ON SAID PINADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE NONCIRCULAR PORTION OF THE SOCKET TO LOCK THE PINMEMBER IN THE SOCKET BUT PERMIT UNLOCKING TO DISENGAGE THE PIN FROM THESOCKET, AND THE PIN MEMBER AND SOCKET EACH HAVING AN OPEN SEAMLONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED THEREIN TO PERMIT RADIAL FLEXURE.